


And Everything's Fine

by Saranghae



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I made that mistake, Major Spoilers, Reunions, Seriously don't read unless you've read the Apollo series, Wholesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:47:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25463464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saranghae/pseuds/Saranghae
Summary: Apollo takes Piper on a journey to see a lost friend.
Relationships: Apollo & Piper McLean, Jason Grace/Piper McLean
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33





	And Everything's Fine

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: Major Spoilers ahead. You have been warned.
> 
> I haven't written anything in a LONG time so pls feel free to give constructive criticism!

The wind pulled at her braid, whipping it to the side as she stood on the steps at the entrance to the most beautiful place she had ever seen. The streets were paved with marble and gold, glittering in a seemingly constant sunshine. The buildings seemed to glow, shimmering candling hanging in the windows. The people walking together, laughing and smiling, were ethereal and untouchable.

She looked down at her hands and realized how dull they were. How grey scale. Her nails were ragged and bloody from too much nervous chewing and sword practice. She had calluses on her knuckles and finger pads that would put any guitar player to shame. They trembled in both anticipation and fear.

Piper McLean was in Elysium. And she did not belong.

***

It had been one year since Jason had died. One year since she had met Apollo and he had changed her life forever. It wasn’t his fault, she knew this now, but it had taken her an embarrassingly long time to truly believe that. 

Apollo was a god again. He had proven himself a hero and had helped stop the end of the world. He had learned what it was to be a demigod. Piper liked to believe he was a better man for it. She hoped he was. Jason had wanted him to be.

She hadn’t seen the sun god in a few months. He would sometimes come down to the respective camps to offer advice, visit his children, or simply say hi. It wasn’t until the anniversary of Jason’s death that Apollo truly came to see her. 

The knock on her cabin door was soft, apprehensive. Piper’s sister Margo opened the door and Piper heard her give a small squeal, inviting a small glance in the door’s direction. Piper blinked, momentarily blinded by the sun god’s light. 

“Apollo,” she said, hesitating for only a moment before climbing off her bunk and stepping over. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

Apollo seemed… nervous. His hand scratched at the back of his head and if Piper didn’t know any better, she would think he was blushing.

“Can I speak with you a moment?” Apollo asked, earning a few giggles from Piper’s siblings. “Alone?”

Piper was at a loss for words. She had absolutely no idea what Apollo could want from her that he couldn’t say in front of someone else. It sent a nervous tingle up her spine the way she always got when a powerful being showed her special interest. This couldn’t be good.

“Sure,” she mumbled, slipping on her shoes and throwing her book at Margo (who caught it in the chest and stopped making kissy faces).

It was early morning. Piper had plans to head to New Rome in a few hours to make it to Jason’s memorial, so she had some time to kill with an immortal being.

Apollo lead her to the strawberry fields. She walked beside him, glancing his way every now and then. He definitely looked better as a god. Lester had his own charms, but Apollo carried himself better now.

And yet he still reminded Piper of a wounded animal. His shoulders were curled inwards. His hands fidgeted with his toga. He looked like he was on the verge of tears.

“What’s this about?” she asked, stopping them both with a hand on Apollo’s arm. 

There was a silence for a beat before Apollo met her eyes. “I never really… I made a promise to Jason before he died. I would remember what it was like to be human. And I’ve stuck to that promise, at least I think I have. But I never really… made it up to you.” He signed and Piper was struck by just how… mortal he looked.

“It’s my fault he’s dead,” he said, holding up a hand to silence her when Piper started to shake her head in defiance. “It is. I dragged both of you into that. If it weren’t for my mistakes I never would have been sent to earth. Caligula never would have had a chance to steal my powers. I know there’s no point in looking at ‘what if’s, but I made a decision the night he died.”

Apollo met Piper’s eyes, his so blue and so honest. 

“I decided I wasn’t going to let you die.” Piper’s heart tried to strangle her. She felt the moisture in her eyes but refused to let herself cry. “Which I guess signed Jason’s death warrant,” Apollo continued. “But we were in agreement. I never… I stole that choice from you. It wasn’t my place to get between the two of you and fate, but I couldn’t watch you die.

“You never got to say goodbye. Most demigods don’t, it’s kind of an occupational hazard, but you deserve the chance to say goodbye.”

Apollo took a deep breath and held out his hand, offering it to Piper. He stared deep into her eyes, searching desperately for her understanding. “Do you trust me?”

And strangely enough, she did. She knew Apollo would never do anything to intentionally hurt her, even before he had been honest with her today. He was an open book. There was no ill intent in his eyes. Piper glanced down at his hand, heat and light radiating off him like the sun.

She took his hand.

***

Apollo knew this was against the rules. He knew he was breaking about 70 different laws and he would likely be murdered in his sleep for this, but it was worth it. He watched Piper step forward, her fingers falling from his as she looked around her in awe. Elysium was a beautiful place.

Piper took a long time to absorb her surroundings. She touched the stone archway like she was afraid it might crumble under her fingertips. Her breath hitched when she discovered it was solid. When it finally sunk in for her that she was really here. She looked back at Apollo, tears glittering in her eyes. 

“Is he here?” she asked, her voice breaking at the end. Apollo smiled sadly, his heart squeezing at the look of absolute heartbreak on her face. He nodded, stepping forward and offering her his hand again.

She took it without hesitation this time, eager to find her fallen friend.

Apollo lead her through the streets of Elysium, walking slowly so she could take it in. Every now and then she would see someone she recognized – a fallen friend or a famous personality. Her eyes sparkled with excitement and anticipation.

It wasn’t long before they entered the park. It was larger than central park in New York, and more luscious by far. There was every kind of tree you could imagine, and the cherry blossoms were always in bloom. Pathways lead through the park, stopping at fountains and play structures. There was a bathhouse and an amphitheatre. Children played and laughed, and adults walked hand in hand and played sports in the clearings. It was perfect, in every aspect of the word.

And there he was. 

Jason sat on the edge of a fountain, the starting’s of a beard on his face and a book in his hands, and a woman sitting at his side, her head on his shoulder as she watched a young girl chase a dog around a tree. The girl was about 8 years old and Apollo’s heart ached at the thought that she had had to die a hero at such a young age. One couldn’t have children in Elysium, so all the young were kids who the gods had deemed worthy or simply taken pity on. 

“Time works differently here,” Apollo said, glancing down at the awestruck look on Piper’s face. “It’s only been a year for us, but it’s been much longer for him. He will remember you, but his life has moved on.” The harsh reality of his words struck Piper to the core. She hadn’t been expecting some romantic reunion. She loved Jason, always would, but she had moved on from him before he had been taken from her. 

“Can I talk to him?” she asked, her voice small and wavery. Apollo nodded, leading her through the trees towards the fountain. The dog spotted them first, rushing over with a happy bark and a tail wag. It ran a circle around them before pouncing on the girl who was rushing up a close second. 

The woman straightened, obviously recognizing Apollo from the look on her face. She shook Jason’s arm and pointed, his eyes following her finger until they locked onto the two visitors. 

Recognition ignited in his eyes. He almost dropped his book as he stood fast, taking a hesitant step before rushing in their direction. Apollo dropped Piper’s hand, feeling his heart swell when Piper choked on a sob and opened her arms.

Jason grabbed her, lifted her off her feet and spun her in a circle, his hands clutching tightly at her shirt, as if scared she would disappear if he let go.

“Too soon,” he muttered into her shoulder. “You’re here too soon.”

Piper pulled back just enough to meet his eyes and shook her head. “I’m not here to stay,” she whispered, afraid her voice would break if she spoke up. “I’m just here to say goodbye.”

Jason looked confused for a moment before he turned to Apollo, as if seeing him for the first time, and understanding lit up his sky-blue eyes. “You did this? For us?”

Apollo nodded, giving a gentle wave to the woman as she approached cautiously. 

“You know this is extremely against the rules,” Jason said, a smile threatening to break the sides of his face. 

Apollo sighed and shrugged. “I suppose I always need a reason for my father to be mad at me,” he said, leaning down and scratching behind the dog’s ear when it waddled up to him.

Jason turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder, not releasing Piper from his grasp.

“Noah,” he said to the woman. “This is Piper. She’s… she’s still living. She was… extremely important to me when I was alive.”

Noah smiled gently and shook Piper’s hand. “He’s told me about you,” she said, her French accent thick. “Thank you for taking care of him.”

Apollo stepped away as the three of them talked, introducing the girl they had adopted who had died during the titan war as Kelsey. They talked for what felt like hours, Apollo always keeping a small part of his mind on his chariot, which was pulling the sun across the sky. They had somewhere to be soon.

He was reluctant to break up the reunion, but he knew Piper wouldn’t want to miss Jason’s memorial.

“Piper,” he spoke softly, interrupting their discussion. “We have to go.”

Heartbreak crossed all of their faces. 

Goodbyes were exchanged. Jason gave Apollo a hug, which he hadn’t been expecting, and Apollo reaffirmed his promise to remember. 

Piper took Apollo’s hand again and waved goodbye to the happy family as he lead her back through the streets. They were quiet the whole walk, Piper’s mind swirling over what had just happened, repeating the events over and over so she would never forget.

By the time they reached the entrance and he teleported them back to the surface, it was well into the evening. They had about 10 minutes before the memorial started. Piper looked around and it dawned on her that they were already in Camp Jupiter. She smiled and looked up at Apollo. 

When she hugged him, Apollo felt complete for the first time since regaining his godly form.

“Thank you,” she gasped through tears. “Thank you.”

The night proceeded according to schedule. He waved at Reyna and received a smirk and a wink in response. He chatted with Frank and Hazel, laughing about something Frank had done which only furthered Apollo’s conviction that he was indeed a giant teddy bear. Apollo practically ate dirt when Meg assaulted him from behind, wrestling him to the ground and hugging him till he couldn’t breathe.

It was a good night.

When Apollo returned Piper and Meg to their camp, he watched Meg run off at the speed of light, the next big adventure always right in front of her. He walked Piper to her cabin, stopping her outside for another quick goodbye. Piper let the hug linger a little longer than she meant. 

Apollo was her friend. Today had solidified that for her forever. She would never forget today for the rest of her life. 

Jason was happy. He was safe. She was relieved. 

Apollo was powerful. He was a god. And he was so, incredibly human.

And Piper would never trade a second of her life. Not for anything


End file.
